CVICU Day 4

There have been some concerns with Ava's heart rate spiking while she eats and with some other behaviors she exhibits during and right after feeds. After a round of throwing up this morning (which is something she was doing at home too) and observations of her vitals during feeds, they have decided to stop feeding her until they can do a swallow study. So they put an NG tube in and have ordered a modified barium swallow and upper GI study. Since today is Sunday, those will be performed tomorrow morning. Please pray that Ava is not aspirating (getting liquid in her lungs) and that there are no other significant issues found. Pray that she will be able to go back to oral feeds soon.

They took her chest tube out this morning. I should have left the room for that since it is very painful. It is hard to think about what all this tiny baby has been through in her short life. But I am forever mindful of those who have it much worse. When they started to take the central line out of her neck to move it somewhere else, I said, "I think I'll go eat lunch now!" I really wish that we had her nurse from the last two days here today to handle this setback. Our nurse today is wonderful as well, but is just new to Ava.

Benji, his parents, and my parents left this morning. It is strange to walk through the waiting room during the day and not see our little group by the window. Benji has had a stomach virus so he hasn't been in the ICU since Friday. But I have numerous friends and family I could call to come up here at any time...so do not drive back up here, Mom! 

Some newborn pics by S.Stephens Photography